1. Field
The present invention relates to a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
With advancement of technology for mobile devices, demand for rechargeable batteries as energy sources has been increasing.
A rechargeable battery differs from a primary battery in that it can be repeatedly charged and discharged, while the latter is incapable of being recharged.
A low-capacity rechargeable battery is used in small portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and camcorders, while a high-capacity rechargeable battery can be used as a power source for driving motors of a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, and the like.
For example, a rechargeable battery may include an electrode assembly for performing charging and discharging operations, a case (or pouch) for accommodating the electrode assembly, and electrode tabs through which the electrode assembly is drawn out of the cap plate.
As the trend of increasingly high-capacity rechargeable batteries continues, energy density increases and safety deteriorates as well.
In order to improve this, sometimes uncoated regions are provided to be elongated at terminal end portions of the positive and negative electrodes, thereby causing an initial short-circuit between a positive electrode member and a negative electrode member when a conductive member penetrates.
Accordingly, when heat is generated due to a high current, the elongated uncoated regions serve to prevent other members, for example, a separator, from catching fire.
The additional uncoated regions of the positive and negative electrode members and a resultant additional portion of the separator decrease internal volume of the rechargeable battery while not affecting battery capacity.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.